2nd winner of US$648 million lottery jackpot comes forward

SAN FRANCISCO--California's US$324 million Mega Millions jackpot winner Steve Tran had a 3 a.m. epiphany earlier this week that spurred him from sleep and had him fumbling through a pile of lottery tickets on top of his dresser.

“I remembered, I think I went to San Jose,” the delivery driver told California lottery officials, who had publicized that the winning ticket was purchased at a gift shop in that city.

Tran checked his tickets, and the winner was “just sitting in my house, on top of my drawer.”

The US$648 million jackpot is the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history. It started its ascent Oct. 4. Lotto officials say 22 draws came and went without winners. Some US$336 million in tickets were sold for the Dec. 17 drawing.

The other winner, Ira Curry, is from Georgia and came forward to claim her prize Dec. 18. Lottery officials there say she opted to take the lump sum payment of about US$120 million after taxes.

Tran, who did not say where he lives, said his family likes to visit San Jose because of the city's large Vietnamese population.